Iran could allow safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz after blockading it for weeks, according to reports in the country’s state media.
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) navy said the strait could reopen after the end of what it described as “threats from aggressors”.
The statement comes after Donald Trump said he has paused efforts to guide stranded commercial vessels from the Strait of Hormuz to finalise a deal with Iran to end the war.
On Wednesday, in response to Iran’s apparent softening over its standoff over the Strait of Hormuz, Trump credited the US blockade of the waterway for bringing an end to its closure, which has set economic shockwaves across the globe.
The US president said if Iran did not follow through on its suggestion of allowing ships through, he would resume the bombing campaign.
Trump wrote: “Assuming Iran agrees to give what has been agreed to, which is, perhaps, a big assumption, the already legendary Epic Fury will be at an end, and the highly effective Blockade will allow the Hormuz Strait to be OPEN TO ALL, including Iran. If they don’t agree, the bombing starts, and it will be, sadly, at a much higher level and intensity than it was before.”
Writing earlier on the social media platform he had said, the so-called “Project Freedom” would be “paused for a short period of time to see whether or not the agreement can be finalised and signed” following a “mutual agreement” between Pakistan and other countries.
A fragile ceasefire was threatened as tensions hit a critical high on Sunday and Monday, as the US pushed to open up the strait to commercial ships, with conflicting reports between Washington and Tehran over naval skirmishes.
The US denied a report by Iranian media that one of its warships was hit by Iranian missiles as it tried to enter the Strait of Hormuz, while Tehran denied reports that six of its vessels had been sunk by the US military.
